New Delhi, Aug 14: Hailing the inauguration of the rail link in Kashmir as a major accomplishment, President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday said rail connectivity with the Valley will boost trade and tourism in the region and open new economic possibilities.
In her address to the nation on the eve of 79th Independency Day, Murmu said the engineering marvel in Kashmir is a historic milestone for the country.
“The Railways has innovated and introduced new types of trains and coaches equipped with latest technologies. The inauguration of the rail link in Kashmir Valley is a major accomplishment. Rail connectivity with the Valley will boost trade and tourism in the region and open new economic possibilities. This engineering marvel in Kashmir is a historic milestone for our country,” she said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June inaugurated the world’s highest railway arch bridge over the Chenab river, along with the Anji Khad bridge, India’s first cable-stayed bridge.
He also flagged off Vande Bharat trains to mark the completion of the 272-km Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project, which provides direct train connectivity to the Kashmir valley.
The first freight train also arrived in the Kashmir Valley on Saturday as the Northern Railway opened its Anantnag goods shed under its larger USBRL project for the movement of goods.
The president said business leaders, small and medium industries and traders have always exhibited a can-do spirit but what was needed was removing the bottlenecks in the path of wealth creation.
“That is so visible when it comes to infrastructure development over the past decade. We have expanded and strengthened the national highway network under the Bharatmala Pariyojana,” Murmu said.–(PTI)
